There's Nothing in the Middle of the Road But Yellow Stripes and Dead Armadillos: A Work of Political Subversion

by Jim Hightower

Book Overview

Revised, and with a New Introduction by the Author I am an agitator, and an agitator is the center post in a washing machine that gets the dirt out.
--Jim Hightower

Hightower is mad as hell and he's not going to take it anymore! He's also funny as hell, and in this book he focuses his sharp Texas wit, populist passion, and native smarts on America's political, economic, scientific, and media establishments. In There's Nothing in the Middle...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060929499
• ISBN13: 9780060929497
• Release Date: August 1998
• Publisher: Harper Perennial
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.3" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Give 'em Hell, Hightower!

I voted for Jim Hightower (for Land Commissioner or something like that) way back when I'd just turned 18 and was able to vote for the first time. I'm very glad to see he's still fighting for the little guy. I live abroad, and whenever anyone asks where home is, I always used to proudly say, "Texas!" These days, it's getting harder and harder to be proud. At least with Bush the First, we could say, "Well, he's not really a Texan." But Junior...well, there's really no denying it, is there? He embodies every negative stereotype of the Texas millionaire.But when I read Hightower, I remember all the good things about Texas, and about America, too. People like Jim Hightower and Molly Ivins make me proud to be a Texan and an American--people who cut through the lies and take on the big boys without a drop of fear in their hearts...just because it's the right thing to do.

Funny but sadly true...Hightower for president!

Feeling disillusioned with the Democratic party, I turned to this book, and I am so glad I did. Hightower gives a rowdy look at the problems facing today's "two party system" that never fails to bring a smile to the reader's face. Since I am from the South, I loved the sayings and colloquialisms that dotted the pages as much as I craved the ideas they described. I was truly sad to finish the book--by the end, I not only felt encouraged to right the wrongs of society, but also refreshed to hear someone who has it together. Hightower gives us a view of capitalism that seems both revolutionary and strangely old-fashioned in that his are the views that many have harbored for years. I feel that this is a book everyone should read, even those who identify with Republican ideals. You will be surprised about how much you agree with Jim Hightower.

It's a Must-Read

I just finished reading this book - and it's amazing. Hightower will make you laugh heartily while at the same time getting you very riled up at what's going on today. Besides his writing style, I found the most satisfying part of reading this book to be the tons of examples and statistics that he uses to uphold his opinions. Though you'll probably get more of a kick out of it if you're on the left end of the spectrum, I would recommend this book to everyone. Hightower definetley dosen't cater to the Democrats, in fact he chides Clinton's crew of "New Democrats" for selling out to corporate interests, which they have.

Wonderful book

This is an absoulutely wonderful book. It is a book for people no matter where they fall on the political spectrum. Why are righties and lefties arguing, let's all go after the real culprits - the greedy corporate types bleeding us all.

<p>In Praise of "...Dead Armadillos"<p>

The following article will appear in the April, 1998, edition of the Ashland, Ore., Lithiagraph: (c) 1998 by Fred Flaxman (used by permission of the author) I just finished a book called "There's Nothing in the Middle of the Road but Yellow Stripes and Dead Armadillos" by someone who ought to know -- Texan Jim Hightower. I agree 100% with another Texan, Molly Ivins, who said: "If you don't read another book about what's wrong with this country for the rest of your life, read this one. I think it's the best and most important book about our public life I've read in years." Hightower served two terms as Texas's elected agriculture commissioner. He has a weekday nationally syndicated radio program called "Hightower Radio: Live from the Chat & Chew" which, unfortunately, I've never heard since it isn't broadcast in my area. He also gives many speeches which have frequently been televised by C-SPAN, which I've never seen, unfortunately, because I don't have cable or satellite TV. And he publishes a biweekly political newsletter, "The Hightower Lowdown" which I've never read, unfortunately, because I spent my entire budget for reading materials to buy his $23 hardcover book. One of the amazing things about Hightower's book, considering its deadly serious subject matter, is how outright funny it can be. It is an easy read, as well as an important one. Hightower has a folksy, breezy style. He knows how to be as entertaining as he is informative. For example, Hightower discusses how the megacorporations have been taking over every aspect of our lives in the last few decades, from the media to the food supply, education, the politicians and the government. By comparison, one of the least critical areas is that of college and professional sports. It is certainly least critical to me. I'm so uninterested in the Superbowl and baseball and every other kind of bowl and ball, that I'll be a prime suspect for investigation by the House Committee on Un-American Americans, whenever the far right completes its take-over. Yet Hightower kept me riveted to the text and laughing my head off, even in the section on sports, with paragraphs like this: "A group of pro-football executives have had discussions with various corporations and CBS Television about creating a new football league that would have twelve teams -- each one representing not a city, but a corporation. Among those named as possible owners are Anheuser-Busch, PepsiCo, and Federal Express. I think this is a terrific idea if for no other reason than it presents the opportunity for some absolutely great team names! Instead of "Bears," "Panthers," and other ferocious animals, why not some more-descriptive monikers that truly reflect the fearsome power of the team owners: the Exxon Oil Spillers, for example, is a natural; the FedEx Unionbusters rings true; the McDonald's Minimum Wagers says it all; millions would turn out to boo the Prudential Policy Cancelers; maybe the GM Job Punters could play in F